Sound-concentrator for devices for aiding the hearing.



E. W. SCHNEIDER, DEC'D.

E. C. SCHNEIDER, EXECUTRIX.

scum) CONCENTRATOR FOR DEVICES FOR AIDING THE- HEARING.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I5| I9I5.

1,1 92,1 23. Patented July 25, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE W. SCHNEIDER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; ELIZABETH CATHERINE SCHNEIDER EXECUTRIX OF SAID EUGENE W. SCHNEIDER, DECEASED.

SOUND-CONCENTRATOR FOR DEVICES FOR AIDING- THE HEARING.

Application filed October 15, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EUGENE W. SCHNEI- nnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamaica, in the county of Queens, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SoundConcentrators for Devices for Aiding the Hearing, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to sound-collectors or concentrators for telephone instruments, particularly for the transmitters used in telephonic devices for aiding the hear ing. Its object is to provide a concentrator which is collapsed into small compass when not in use but which can be drawn out or extended wl'ienever necessary or desirable.

To this and other ends, the invention conin the novel features of construction and combinations of elements hereinafter described.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompa ying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the transmitter and concentrator, with the latter extended for use; and Fig. 2 is a similar View but with the concentrator collapsed. Fig. 8 is a front view. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the elements of the concentrator. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, on a larger scale than the other views.

The transmitter casing shown at 10 is of circular form, having tubular sockets 11 at the bottom to serve as terminals to slip over the pole-pieces of the battery (not shown). On the back, at the top, is an apertured metal plate 12 by which the device can be hung on the garment of the user, and a flexible conductor 13 connects the device with the receiver or ear-piece, not shown.

The concentrator 1 1 is composed of a suitable member of concentric sliding rings or short cylinders 15, preferably of thin sheet metal such as spring brass, provided with inner and outer shoulders 16, 17, to prevent the rings from coming apart, as will be readily understood. Preferably the rings are untapered. The innermost ring, which is also the smallest in diameter, is riveted or otherwise secured around and to a central extension 18 of the sheetmetal cover 19, which latter is screw-threaded on the body of the transmitter casing 10 as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The extension mentioned is preferably of the same depth Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Serial No. 55,941.

as the rings, so as to more effectively reinforce the latter and prevent them from be mg bent or distorted when in collapsed position. The outer edge of the outermost (and largest) ring is provided with a thick bead 20 for convenient grasp in drawing out the concentrator and to take the presa P sure or the nngeis in collapsing the device.

To hold the device in extended position and to prevent looseness, and consequent ratthng of the rings, when the device is collapsed, the rings are provided with axially extending spring tongues 21, preferably cut irom the ring itself and bent slightly outward, as shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. The tongues are just short enough to permit the shoulders or beads 16 to snap in between the ends of the tongues and the beads 17. To facilitate collapse of the rings one into the other the free ends of the tongues may be bent slightly inward and the cooperating beads rounded, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5. \Vhen the device is collapsed, with the rings nested one in the other, each tongue bears against the next outer ring and thereby prevents looseness and rattling.

The concentrator is easily extended by a quick pull on the outer ring, grasped by the bead 1 1, and is collapsed with equal ease by pressure of the lingers on the same part. It will 'of course be understood that with untapered rings the amount of flare or taper of the concentrator as a whole depends, other conditions being equal, upon the number of rings used.

In Fig. 41, 22 represents the transmitter diaphragm, held by its edge on the transmitter casing 10 by the removable cap 19. The face of the cap-extension 18 is preferably concave, and is perforated as shown in Fig. 3.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction herein specifically illustrated and described, but can be embodied in other forms without depar ture from its spirit. It will. also be clear that the device can be used on a receiver if desired.

I claim:

1. The combination with a telephonic transmitter, of a collapsible sound-concentrator on the face of the transmitter, comrings or shells having inner and outer shoulders to prevent separation of the rings when extended and provided with yielding devices adapted to bear laterally on the successive rings when the latter are nested or collapsed one into the other.

2. A sourid-concentrator for the purpose described, comprising a plurality of concentric sliding rings or shells adapted to nest or collapse one into the other, means to prevent separation of the rings when extended, and yielding devices adapted to hold the rings in extended position and to bear laterally 0n the rings to prevent looseness thereof when nested or collapsed.

3. A sorind-concentrator for the purpose described, comprising a plurality of concentric sliding rings or shells, having spring tongues adapted to bear laterally on the successive rings to prevent looseness thereof when nested or collapsed.

4.. A sound-concentrator for the purpose described, comprising a plurality of concentric sliding rings or shells. inner and outer shoulders on the edges of the rings to prevent separation thereof when extended, and inwardly yielding spring tongues on the outside of the rings to cooperate with the inner shoulders and hold the rings in extended position and adapted to bear out-- wardly on the inner surfaces of the successive rings when the same are nested or collapsed.

5. The combination of a transmitter having a central extension, an inner ring or shell fastened to the transmitter around the said extension, and one or more sliding rings concentric with the inner ring, the said extension serving to reinforce or brace the rings against bending or distortion when they are nested or collapsed.

6. In combination with a telephone transmitter for aiding the hearing; of a central extension therefrom, said extension being adapted to be screwed over the exterior of the transmitter and to thereby clamp the diaphragm thereto; the said extension having an annular portion coaxially alined and projecting outwardly from the transmitter, a ring engaged over said annular portion, said ring being supported and braced by said annular portion, an outwardly pro ecting shoulder on said ring, a sound concentrator comprising a plurality of sliding concentric rings or shells, having inner and outer shoulders to prevent separation of the rings when extended one of said shoulders cooperating with the shoulder on the first mentioned ring, to secure the second mentioned rings to the first mentioned ring, yieldii'ig spring tongues associated with the rings and adapted to hold the rings in extended position, said tongues being adapted. to bear upon the periphery of the next outer rings and prevent the assemblage of rings from rattling when in collapsed position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto al'lix my signature.

EUGENE W. SCHNEIDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

